Water Storage and Treatment

Ready.gov recommends storing 1 gallon of water per person per day for 3 days. Do you store water for emergency purposes or do you just rely on your faucet for a water source? Some families or individuals rely on filtered water delivery, some have a great filtration unit installed in their home, and some have a portable water filter system such as a Brita or Pur Pitcher or a Berkey. A water pitcher filter is an affordable way to filter your water as it filters lead and other contaminants.

We have the PUR 18-cup water filter dispenser on our kitchen countertop. I love that it is skinny but it holds a lot of water. We purchased it at Walmart and bought a 3-pack of water filter refills so I do not have to worry about it for a while plus it is always a great idea to have a back-up filter anyway. It is very critical that you have stored water or ways to treat the water. After a calamity or a disaster, clean water may NOT be readily available in your area. We need to learn from the past natural disasters that had happened. Even the short time that our water needed to be shut-off for maintenance made me realize how difficult it is to have no water at all to wash your hands, clean dishes, shower, cook, and drink.

MUST-READ: How to Frugally Prep

I am sure that you have heard this: that a person can survive weeks without food but not without water. We can not survive 3 days without water. Just that thought is bothersome especially if you have little children at home. Read below for ways that you can store and treat your water. I have shared in this post, how much water (approximate) does a family need, a family of four based on a two week prepping stocks.

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WATER STORAGE

Remember that it is not just about collecting and storing water, it is also about storing them properly. I do not have to tell you that you can get sick from parasites and contaminants. It is important to ONLY USE FOOD GRADE WATER STORAGE and storing them under proper conditions. Not exposed to heat but in a cold dark place free of rodents. You also need to be familiarized with food-grade symbols such as the one pictured below. Plastic numbers 1, 2, 4, and 7 are food-grade containers.

Image source: Buyfoodgrade.com

More than likely, your container will indicate more storage information including BPA safety, freezer-safety, or where to store. CDC has an article that you can also read regarding water storage. You can read it HERE. Determine your budget first and start your research as to where to buy appropriate water containers. There's a lot of options (food grade don't forget) online and in-store so let it depend on quality, your budget, and space that you have.

You can always buy commercially bottled water. Warehouses are a great place to purchase cases of water bottles. Just keep in mind that you still have to rotate your cases of water bottles the same as the rotation that I mentioned with your prepper pantry. Overtime, BPA may leak into these bottles. Better safe than sorry.

WATER TREATMENT

It is also crucial that you know how to treat water in cases where safe drinking water is not readily available or your water source is unreliable.

1. Boiling

According to ready.gov, boiling water is the safest way to treat your water, and to improve the taste of your boiled water, pour the water between two clear containers. This process puts the oxygen back into your water.

2. Chlorination

Treat your water by adding 1/8 teaspoon of HOUSEHOLD BLEACH (not scented) per gallon of water, stir, and let it stand for 30 minutes. Make sure that your bleach has 5.25 to 6.0 % of sodium hypochlorite.

3. Distillation

Distillation is the process of boiling the water and collecting the condensed water vapors. The vapor will not include impurities and is considered as the most effective way of removing contaminants. You can use a solar still (slow-process) that uses solar radiation to evaporate water below the boiling point and the cooler air to condense the vapor. Ready.gov has a short how-to instruction on how to simply distilled water.

4. Iodine Tablets

Iodine tablets are also used on outdoor activities such as hiking and camping where you can run out of reliable water sources (emergency). It claims to remove contamination around 30 minutes. You can purchase iodine tablets at your local sports and outdoor stores such as Big 5 Sporting Goods. You can also find it on Amazon.

5. Portable Water Filtration System

There are just so many options out there when it comes to a portable filtration system. You can use the pitcher type, or the ones that can be attached to your faucet. Here's a few of portable system that most preppers use:

Berkey Filters

LifeStraw Personal Filtration System

Sawyer Filtration System

Like always, read and do your research. There are several primitive ways to treat water and a lot of products that promise the removal of contaminants. I have heard amazing things from Berkey owners and Sawyer products. LifeStraw has a mixture of reviews. Be diligent to your family's needs and if there is one thing that you should start now on your preparedness journey, this should be your first step!